Idaho® Baked Potato Bing Bread

Ingredients:

• 2 cups warm water (40C/105F)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 10-16g salt (about 2 teaspoons)
• 2 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
• 3 - 4 cups of all purpose flour (preferably King Arthur’s brand), plus 1 cup flour extra for kneading
• 3 cups Idaho® potatoes, skin on, diced 1/2”X1/2”
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 2 slices nitrite free smoked bacon, cut into chunks and ground through coarse die of meat grinder (We use Broadbent’s Bacon from Kentucky)
• 3 cups of sliced green onions, sliced 1/8 inch thick
• 2 cups of medium diced white cheddar
• ½ cup of sesame oil
• ½ cup canola oil
• 6 tablespoons white sesame seeds

• 1 tablespoon soy
• 2 tablespoon water
• ½ tablespoon sugar

1. Stir the above to dissolve and reserve

• ¼ cup sour cream
• ½ cup softened unsalted butter
• 1½ teaspoons salt

1. Combine in a food processor until completely smooth.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Mix sugar, salt, and yeast in a large mixing bowl. Add warm water and dissolve the mixture with a rubber spatula. Gradually mix in 3 to 4 cups of AP flour until dough comes together. Cover Bowl with plastic and allow to rise to double in size, about 1½ hours.
3. Meanwhile, toss diced potatoes with sesame oil and canola oil, salt, in and roast in oven until just cooked through, about 15 minutes.
4. Render the bacon in a large sauté pan over medium low heat, stirring occasionally, until the bacon gets golden, but not all the way crispy. Strain, reserving fat to re-crisp the bread later in the day.
5. Prepare the sliced scallions, and diced white cheddar.
6. After 1½ hour passes, release, and knead gently until smooth (using extra flour to avoid sticking, but not so much that dough becomes stiff) for about 20 turns. Portion into 6 balls, and keep covered with plastic. Roll each ball into 9 inch circle, and rub each circle with 1 teaspoon sesame oil, plus 1 teaspoon canola oil until completely covered.
7. Sprinkle evenly over the dough 1/4 cup of rendered bacon bits, ⅓ cup medium diced and roasted potatoes, 1/4 cup medium diced white cheddar, and ½ cup thinly sliced scallions on each circle.
8. Roll into a cylinder, pinching the edges and pinching the finished edge. Spiral cylinder carefully on top of itself, and gently pat down into a 6 inch circle.
9. Preheat mini cast iron pans on medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons canola oil to each pan and gently slide the bread dough in. Turn to low immediately. Brush soy glaze mixture on top with a pastry brush, then sprinkle 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds evenly over the top. Cover pan with another pan to steam.
10. In about 8-10 minutes, when golden, flip over and put into 350° F convection oven. Check in 8 minutes to finish, or just put back until center is clean when poked through and bottom is evenly golden. Let rest on a rack.
11. Re-crisp later for service with 2 tablespoons each pan of bacon fat in cast iron pans at 400 degrees F, flipping after 3 minutes on each side, or until crispy.
12. Serve with a smear of sour cream butter.